The first trend, from a technological category of the PESTEL tool, is the Internet of Things (IoT). It is critical because it represents the next primary wave in corporate change (BlackBerry, n.d.). IoT is a tendency to propel society’s increasing digitalization and datafication in various novel and remarkable ways (Marr, 2021). BlackBerry now protects over five hundred million endpoints, including over two hundred million vehicles (BlackBerry, n.d.). Moreover, with a single platform for protecting, monitoring, and optimizing how intelligent endpoints are installed in the business, the firm is leading the way, allowing clients to remain ahead of the technology curve that will transform every sector. Kicker (2021) claims that BlackBerry benefits from the expanding trend because the business is gradually converting itself into a market-leading platform for supporting IoT. It uses its heritage and security expertise as a selling advantage (Kicker, 2021). Additionally, the company’s UEM/UES systems will be able to monitor wearables such as smartwatches in the near future.
The second trend that emerged due to the COVID-pandemic is from the PESTEL’s social category, namely, work from home. Kicker (2021) acknowledges that BlackBerry’s current product is its UEM/UES system, which enables the integrated administration and security of various devices such as smartphones and laptop computers. Because all information is integrated into a single application, the IT security team has simpler access to data (Kicker, 2021). UEM is the most recent in a long line of mobile security management technologies that have arisen in response to the evolving interaction between enterprises, personnel, portable devices, and new working patterns (What is Unified Endpoint Management, 2022). Hence, UEM/UES solutions have grown in popularity due to the work-from-home trend, and businesses have begun to consider security measures to ensure better data safety remotely.
The primary industry in which BlackBerry operates is tech, software, and mobility solutions, in particular. Appolonia et al. (2022) state that BlackBerry formerly controlled forty-three percent of the US smartphone market and twenty percent of the worldwide market. Despite being one of the initial smartphones, it struggled to innovate and remained indifferent to the evolving smartphone industry (Applonia et al., 2022). Currently, BlackBerry is a provider of corporate software that specializes in security product management, encryption, and embedded devices (Kicker, 2021). In order to assess the current industry state, it is vital to analyze the five forces’ strengths.
The most pressing is the competitive rivalry because, nowadays, companies are trying to broaden IoT solutions. For instance, BlackBerry’s offering is the QNX real-time operating system, designed for vehicles, ventilation systems, railway controllers, factory automation systems, and healthcare robotics (Kicker, 2021). BlackBerry IVY technology enables the safe transfer of automotive sensor data to the Amazon Web Services cloud (Kicker, 2021). Nonetheless, in the vehicle OS area, BlackBerry confronts competitive pressure from Google’s Android and open-source Linux (Sun, 2022). Kicker (2021) notes that Ford does keep a portion of QNX in its automobiles, but Android can replace it entirely. Despite BlackBerry’s security benefits, the Android suite appeals to consumers, which may persuade automotive OEMs to choose it as a solution (Kicker, 2021). As a result, Android poses a substantial threat to BlackBerry’s QNX because it may be installed on various devices.
New entrants in the industry pose a growing challenge to BlackBerry. Because of the expanding need for customer experience, automotive software is being extensively employed in different sectors (Data Bridge Market Research, 2022). Furthermore, this industry is fast emerging due to the demand for vehicle electrification, which boosts the need for automotive software solutions. Diverse industries attempt to adjust to the rapid shift to digital technology as rapidly as feasible (Straits Research, 2022). Thus, companies introduce new offerings in order to increase their market share.
The following characteristics define the IT industry landscape: high bargaining power of buyers and low bargaining power of suppliers. Uta (2020) asserts that the software sector meets the demands of individuals and businesses, and each solution is unique. Like any software solution, BlackBerry’s products or services influence buyers’ performance (Uta, 2020). Furthermore, IT firms like BlackBerry cannot readily swap vendors (Uta, 2020). BlackBerry’s partners must retain their position by achieving needed accreditations based on their partner level, meeting program level revenue objectives, participating in required business planning, and participating in quarterly BlackBerry surveys (BlackBerry solution providers, n.d.). The firm announced an extension of its cooperation with Marelli, a Tier 1 global automotive supplier, in China. BlackBerry and Marelli’s partnership reflects their commitment to enabling a connected transportation future with reliable, safe, and advanced mobility technology (BlackBerry and Marrelli expand collaboration, 2022). Therefore, the supplier’s products and offerings are critical to IT corporations.
In the information era, software pervades many aspects of life. Individuals and organizations use operating systems and applications to perform daily tasks, and the software industry is expanding (Software, n.d.). BlackBerry had $1 billion in software income by 2020, with excellent gross margins and positive operational cash flow (Gulati & Keller, 2021). Thus, BlackBerry successfully transitioned from a hardware firm to a software company focusing on the cyber security sector.
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